Orewa boy in a league of his own
The importance of New Zealander Ben Te'o to the British and Irish Lions backline has just increased significantly following the thigh injury to Owen Farrell which has ruled the Englishman out of tonight’s match against the Maori.
Te'o, a second- five who grew up in Orewa, north of Auckland, played rugby and league before leaving for Australia and the NRL as a 17- year- old, has already shone on this tour as a player who will almost certainly be in the mix for the first test against the All Blacks at Eden Park next weekend.
At 1.88m tall and well over 100kg, he is big, direct, and with good hands and feet — a handful on defence and attack for the opposition which he showed against the Crusaders.
He is, in other words, perfect for coach Warren Gatland's game- plan of putting the opposition in a vice and squeezing until the mistakes come.
There is a suspicion that Farrell, originally viewed by Gatland as a No 10 on this tour, could play a part at second- five in the first test next Saturday. His injury isn't seen as major, but if he isn't fit then Te'o will almost certainly start.
A year ago, Te'o returned to Australia on England's tour under Eddie Jones but didn't play due to injury. Since then, the Worcester Warriors player, who qualifies for England and the Lions via his mother, has won eight caps under Jones ( including helping England's crucial Six Nations fightback against Wales in Cardiff ) and finds himself on a tour of his homeland in the famous red jersey.
He is, however, nothing if not grounded. Te'o appears to be a man who knows what i s important and that i s getting himself physically and mentally right for each training session and match and anything else can take care of itself.
“Sometimes I think about my transition to the game,” Te'o said.
“Some people think it's come along quick. For me, I don't think it has. I'm still proud of the steps I've taken and where I'm at now.
“I love being involved in the squad and training with these guys.
“But on the flip side, when you're here now and getting ready for these games and coming up against such great oppo- sition there's no time to be looking around and thinking ‘ how good's this?'.” However, he did tell the media of his tour of Australia 12 months ago under Jones: “It has been a crazy year. I thought that was a very good tour for me. “Not playing, but just getting to gel with the guys, learning the way Eddie trained and just getting more comfortable in rugby. “Obviously I didn't get a cap but it came soon after.” Te'o went to Orewa College and St Paul's in Ponsonby before following the bright lights to Australia, where he played for the Tigers, Broncos and Rabbitohs — as well as Queensland — but i s relaxed both about the prospect of facing Sonny Bill Williams next week or, indeed facing the famous black jersey at all. Of Williams' efforts in provid- ing the winning try for the Blues at Eden Park in the second Lions tour game, he said: “I wasn't surprised at all. We've obviously seen how he plays in the big contests. Towards the end of the game he showed his class and that was some good things he put together for that last try. It was good rugby.
“I can't say that I'd be looking forward to any of that [ match- up]. I've got to play on Saturday. We'll see how things go with selections. Obviously neither backline is cemented . . . I'm not saying I'm looking forward to coming up against him or matching up or anything.
“I would have grown up looking at the All Blacks, but things change, times change. I've gone on a different journey to Australia through rugby league, to Europe to learn rugby union all over again. I can't say it would be any more special than playing the Springboks or the Wallabies or anyone else.”
Kiwi Lion Ben Te'o